The Four Letter Word
by 7-Pistol
Summary: Ed learns some words have strong consequences. A small One Shot capturing a moment in the Rockbell home displaying eleven year old Ed as the adorable stubborn boy we know and love. [Warning: This story contains a disciplinary/spanking theme, and the spanking of a minor.] Spanking Pair: Other/Ed with Pinako focus.


_Disclaimer: This story contains corporal punishment / spanking of a minor_

* * *

_The Four Letter Word  
_7-Pistol

Pinako was going about her business ignoring him. Her busy kitchen spelled of spices and was in the heat of a delicate ballet. In one hand there were soft crusts easily burned, and in the other that which was frying. It was a mathematical balance between oven and stove, of pot holder and spatula. She had set all foods to cook at specific times so she could move between fluidly with nothing wasted. It took years to acquire this finesse, and her skill made it look easy.

"How long do I have to sit here?" Ed asked from behind Pinako. Finally, after an hour of sitting with his hands jammed into his pockets watching her stir and bake through an ugly pout, he spoke. It took him slightly longer than Pinako had expected, but then again, she'd known Ed his entire life and he'd always been a stubborn boy. "Old hag?" Ed asked. "Old bitch," he added under his breath. Pinako gave the frying pan a good smack with the spatula before turning to him.

"What did you say boy?" Pinako asked, raising a wrinkled eyebrow. In her old age she was growing smaller and Ed was growing taller even if in small allotments. His body had lost the pudgy baby fat she'd known him to have, and now his arms and thighs were twigs. His ankles and wrists appeared painfully tight, his jaw bone was starkly visible, and his eyes were large needy things. He was a thin little rat before the death of his mother, before the accident, and now what was left of him just looked starved. As if Trisha had taken something when she dropped into her grave, and Ed didn't have the nutrients to put it back. Pinako could see his ribs, she could see his collar bone, and there simply was no girth to his chest. Edward was a scrawny, puffy haired boy, with a loud mouth and powerful eyes. _His favorite weapons._ He used them to compensate for that which he did not have, so his opinions were stark, and his gaze a brilliant, bold, intense color. Hohenheim's color.

"I said how long do I have to sit here?" Ed's was becoming increasingly annoyed. He was eleven, and at eleven had decided he no longer had to sit in chairs when he misbehaved. He had decided since his mother had passed and left him with no parent, that he could become one. Since he'd tried to bring her back and had automail put on himself, that he was an adult. Entirely grown. Able to swear as he pleased, do as he pleased, and disregard her as he pleased. Today, this disregard landed his eleven year old backside sitting in her kitchen chair after she dragged him in her backdoor by his ear. A feat much easier said than done.

Growing up with Pinako Ed knew the old woman's small and quiet appearance was a false to a great and powerful force. A titan at heart, she reigned intense power, and only released it when it suited her. It came quickly, swelling up her face and pooling in her eyes. _It was the look of death_. A darkness that became so extreme it consumed her pupils, and made Ed feel like hell was looking at him.

Today while Pinako was busy slicing zucchini she heard words fall out of Ed's mouth she was not going to tolerate his younger brother, and her granddaughter standing witness to. She ordered him inside, and when he defiantly stood where he was, she went to fetch him.

Seconds before her stomping figure made it to Ed's scrawny frowning self she saw his face buckle with panic because it was the look of death which consumed her. She snatched Ed's ear in a singing pinch, and dragged him from the lawn. Staggering along with his head tipped to the side, and his hands clutching her dress, he argued the entire way. He was mad at her, and declaring he could swear as he pleased before she sat him in her kitchen chair to seethe and pout over his humiliation in an hour of silence.

"How long?" Ed asked, voice growing loud.

"You'll sit there until you recognize what you are," Pinako said firmly, and this enraged Ed. She heard the chair move as he wiggled back and forth scooting to the edge. He tipped his head down fussing before looking miserably to the window. Outside Alphonse and Winry ran about playing and laughing. Ed's absence was forgotten in ten minutes, and Winry was back at the armor wanting always a ride. A ride on the shoulders, on the head, on the back, Alphonse's body had become a giant toy, and Winry could not get enough. She wanted to be swung in a circle, helped into tall trees, and carried. Winry was too aggressive for her own good and Pinako attributed this to the fact the girl had grown up next to two wild wild boys.

"I am not recognizing anything," Ed said, sounding disgusted, and as always, defiant.

"Then you'll sit there till you're dead."

"You can't make me sit here all day!" Ed said, angrily. He was yelling, but Pinako ignored this casually. The failure to illicit a reaction, it always brought Edward's demise.

"Can't I?" Pinako mused quietly, slicing another few fat zucchini squares before pushing the lot of them into her pot. "I am pretty sure I can." Ed released a fast outraged breath. "In fact I am certain of it, and I'll do it."

"You bitch. I didn't do anything I…" Ed silenced when Pinako turned quickly and narrowed her gaze in a warning. She was not going to be sworn at, and Ed receded a bit, but his pride kept him from receding enough. "I've sat here long enough. I've been sitting here for an hour!"

"And you'll sit there until you apologize!" Pinako's raised voice brought Ed to give the table an annoyed kick with his bare foot. The table was covered with pie flour and just forty minutes ago Pinako had made two. The closet size of Pinako's kitchen was littered with evidence of her baking on all available surfaces including the narrow table she had crammed in.

"You're not swearing like that Edward Elric. Think of your mother. She's probably rolling over in her grave!" Ed turned his face away with word of Trisha. He did not want to disappoint his mother. Of this Pinako was certain, and her death more than anything else was a soft subject for Ed. It was a bruise on his emotional self, blackened and filled with puss the way he let it fester. "Now you'll keep that disgraceful little mouth of yours shut," Pinako said firmly, reaching for the phone when it began ringing. "If I weren't so busy I'd wash it out with a bar of soap."

"I hate you," Ed said, glaring as Pinako answered the phone. Thomas was calling for the third time that morning. They were trading her zucchini for some of his oil. Pinako had a green thumb, among her many talents, and to produce ripe and luscious vegetables she only needed to place the seed in the ground and stand about in her house. They ate well in the Rockbell home, and Thomas, whose deaf wife was seven months pregnant, was more than willing to trade oils he made for fresh, and more importantly, prepared vegetables.

"Are you listening!" Ed yelled from behind Pinako, but she ignored him continued her conversation while considering the oils Thomas was listing. She had to choose between extra greasing oil or lamp oil she could use. "I am getting up in ten minutes. I've sat here_ long_ enough." Ed was talking behind Pinako as she weighed her options. Both were equally as expensive. However, to obtain her greasing oils she needed to travel further into the next town. The oil was only used on uncommon farm equipment, but she'd found it worked great with automail. In her head she was balancing which would financially cost her more pocket money, or burden her in the long run, when Ed said something that made her stop.

Amidst Ed's ranting, he had started a long list of swears desperate to illicit a reaction from her. She heard bitch several times, bastard once, shit three or four times, and then one small word emerged. A four letter word, and not the one she thought he'd one day brave. Thomas disappeared from Pinako's ears entirely, and Ed silenced when he noticed the response.

"Pinako, you there?" Thomas asked, when Pinako broke their conversation and turned angrily to face Ed. Ed was sitting at the edge of his chair, nose pink from the sun and golden eyes caught in an unsightly glare that was growing a bit nervous.

"What did you just say boy?" Pinako asked, sitting the phone down. "Get over here Edward Elric!" She pointed to the floor at her feet while picking up her spatula. Ed was modestly cautious within his anger until Pinako grabbed a utensil that would be easy to use on his rear. Then his defenses spiked.

"Why! I am done sitting here!" Ed moved back to his prior argument.

"Get out of that chair, and come here!" Pinako yelled, lifting the phone back to her ear when Thomas called out to her "Thomas, I am sorry but I'll haf'ta call you back," she said quickly. She was ready to explain that would be in a few minutes when he cut her off. He wasn't ready for her to disconnect, and suddenly, angrily, had lots to say.

Ed was suspended between anger and fear where he sat. He still felt he had most of the upper hand, and relaxed further when Pinako's posture suddenly left anger and moved to something that looked suspiciously like unexpected delight. She gave a brief laugh with the sound of Thomas's voice muffling into her ear, and Ed found it confusing, because he could hear the man's tone and it was furious.

Pinako looked over to Ed with a knowing smile and extended the phone. "Edward," Pinako said, "Someone wants to talk to you."

Ed twisted his expression with insult and snorted toward the phone. "I am not talking to him," Ed said angrily.

Pinako ignored this and after a moment Ed slid off the chair and stood up. The automail foot made a small clank as it came to rest on itself, but Ed's slender bare foot was silent. Ed was staring up at Pinako with suspicious caution and heightened reflexes. He didn't trust her sudden calm behavior, and he took a tentative step forward. He wore a summer tee shirt and loose cargo shorts. About his flesh knee was the faint green of grass and his feet held the dusty sand of the yard. He looked too sunkissed to be angry, with his hair a puff mess from all his running, but with a deep scowl he yanked the phone from Pinako and brought it to his ear.

"Hello?" Ed muttered sourly.

Pinako took a step back and lifted a patient eyebrow. Edward was not accustomed to male scoldings. With the lack of his father he was punished only by Trisha who was a fair woman with an even fairer heart. As a boy Edward Elric spent a great deal of time sitting in the corner if he acted out. Sleeping over at Pinako's house he went to bed early, and sometimes was denied dessert when he misbehaved, but that was it. He was a child who would do great things if he ever matured and grasped the reigns to the violently talented side running rapid through his tiny soul. Until then however, he was a boy who wanted to know where the limits were all the time, even if this meant treading out into shark infested waters.

Thomas was telling Ed what for over the phone, and he was doing it like any well-mannered country man. With a bark sharper than his bite, and a tolerance level that was near nonexistent. Ed looked startled where he stood with the man's tone chewing a hole through the phone and into his young head, before the strongest core trait to Ed's youthful self woke up and snapped. "Oh yeah!" Ed suddenly yelled, and Pinako closed her eyes with a heavy sigh. _She knew this was the inevitable. _She had handed the phone over expectant of this outcome. "Yeah, but!" Ed said, trying to get a word in between Thomas's scolding. "Who cares! I am not doing anything like that!" Ed yelled, shifting his weight uneasily. When Ed yelled, Tom yelled, and Tom's voice came stronger and louder, and Ed went mute with surprise. He was being yelled at because he had yelled, but Thomas was not mom and not grandma, he was the harsh commanding voice of a man, and that was something Ed was unfamiliar with.

"Don't argue Ed," Pinako warned kindly. Ed was already in trouble, she understood this much, but Ed typically was not satisfied with being in trouble, he needed to make it worse. He needed to have that last say, that last fight, even if it wasn't in his best interest.

Ed shot a fleeting glance toward Pinako when she spoke. His brow was knit with tense concern as Thomas spoke, and his jaw was slightly dropped but he wasn't bickering. He was taking his scolding relatively well, before something Thomas said caught Ed off guard, and his eyes widened. "No!" Ed said quickly. "No!" He yanked the phone away from his ear as if insulted by it, before thrusting it carelessly at Pinako.

She took it gracefully, and was well aware he was ordered to return it to her. She hadn't been caring for him this long without putting the small things together. She returned the phone to her ear wearing her smile and said, "Hello Thomas."

Ed was staring at his feet and shifting uneasily where he stood, and she didn't find this surprising. Thomas had ordered Ed to walk his little self over that second, and if he dawdled he'd pay for it. "Is that so," Pinako said, dropping a kind hand into Ed's hair and stroking his bangs back with love only a grandmother owned. "He has been rather obstinate today."

Ed slapped Pinako's hand away from him, and returned to the chair he desperately wanted to flee moments ago. His mind was stuck on something, Pinako could see it plainly. He was dead silent, expression locked in a permanent frown, but Ed's eyes were blinking too frequently. He was trying to think his way out of his punishment, because he knew he had one coming, and wasn't sure exactly what it was. Thomas hadn't said, nor had he even mentioned discipline, but his tone was enough. Ed was going to get something when he reached Thomas's house, and they all knew it.

"I'll make sure he does," Pinako said, pleasantly surprised with the turn of events. There was no way in god's green earth she'd have that word used, period. Ed was to remember not to use it, and Thomas would show Ed much better than she'd be able. "Thank you. I'll finish and bring you the dish tonight," she said, hanging up and turning to Ed expectantly. Pinako rested her hands on her hips and stood silently, waiting for Ed to meet her gaze.

He did, after a moment of staring at his lap in deep thought. He lifted his gaze with his eyes deeply troubled and angrily said, "I am not going, so stop smiling at me."

Pinako's smile grew. "You are going to march yourself down there this instant Ed, or he's coming to get you," Pinako said, returning to the stove. Ed was silent. His indictment had moved from her to another person, one which was not in the room to yell at. One who had also yelled back more forcefully than he was able. "I wouldn't advise making him do that Edward," Pinako said, washing her hands so she could slap him for saying what he had. "I imagine after stomping all the way up here in the heat of the sun he'll be looking for a way to vent. Do you really want to hand your scrawny hide over to that?" Pinako asked, turning to Ed while drying her hands with a dish rag.

"Don't forget how old I am now hag," Ed said firmly. "You're high time with that is done." Ed lifted an angry hand and pointed at Pinako, but she reached out and snatched it. She closed her own around his tiny finger, fist, and wrist, and yanked him forward clean off his chair. "What!" Ed yelled, before ducking when she gave the back of his head a good slap. "Ow!" Ed cried angrily, before whining when she gave him a quick second and third. "Ow, ow," he complained, rubbing his head with her glaring at him. Her blows weren't painful. They were diminutive, but they meant something and Ed understood what it was.

"Now you get out of this kitchen before I pick that spatula back up," Pinako said. Ed moved quickly to the door glad to be free of the chair. "And I'd do what Thomas says Ed." With these words Ed paused in the threshold and his shoulders pulled inward tight with worry. "He will come get you boy, make no mistake," Pinako said, and Ed ran. She watched him bolt forward and down the stairs before slowing in the lawn.

Ed looked more at home outside in the sun, dressed for summer even with the slender automail not yet fully crafted to its final design. Its sleek metal was thus as thin and slender as Ed's human limbs. Ed watched Alphonse and Winry run about at the base of the yard laughing and screaming before slamming his hands into both pockets and turning for the road. He left stomping angrily, and Pinako could tell by the movement of his head and shoulders he was talking to himself. With a sense of exhaustion she had to admit he was most likely swearing, and after a short walk of this, he broke into a run. He ran full speed up the dirt road before disappearing from sight. Then it was her alone in the kitchen, nothing burnt and nothing blackened. She had two pies, one cooking lasagna, her baked zucchini ready to be placed in the stove when the lasagna and first baked zucchini came out, sauce, soup, and grapes in the sink to be washed and canned.

A half an hour after Edward left Winry came in panting and collapsed at the kitchen table. The girl talked non stop to Alphonse about an event which happened by the creek while sucking down two full cups of lemonade. For a small girl Winry could also work up quite an appetite and devoured a dozen cookies before packing some food in a basket and taking Alphonse back outside with her. The two were going to play house out by the shed which was close enough Pinako could see them.

Working mainly at her sink so she could have some entertainment, Pinako watched her granddaughter fight through the wind to get a long blanket down and unpack the basket. Alphonse moved back and forth for Winry fetching things and using the hose under the kitchen window for water. The children were heartwarming to watch, and carried on for almost an hour before Pinako noticed a small speck traveling up the road. The appearance of her adopted grandson, as she called him, brought an audible laugh from her throat.

Ed was one his way back walking quickly with his hands in his pockets watching his feet. It wasn't until he was at the edge of her land, an acre from her door, that Pinako realized he was crying. Ed was doing so audibly while he was secluded no one could hear him. His mouth was open with his flesh hand constantly wiping at his eyes before he began composing himself as he neared the house, and entered the lawn. Ed was heading right for the kitchen backdoor and Pinako found this both surprising and intriguing. It was unusual for Ed, especially when he was so upset, to come immediately to a populated area.

"Nii-san?" Alphonse spoke from under the kitchen window holding a small tea pot he was filling. "Nii-san, what have you been doing? Winry and I have been playing without you!" Alphonse sounded excited and happy Ed had reappeared to join, before his tone changed to one of concern with a quick, "Nii-san, what happened to you?"

Alphonse's question deviated Ed from Pinako's back screen door and he walked to the armor instead. Pinako couldn't see Ed with him so close to the side of her house, but an angry shouted "Nothing!" came out in proof he was there.

"Nothing?" Alphonse sounded confused. "You look like you've been crying." Alphonse speculated quietly. Ed was silent. "Have you been?" Alphonse asked kindly. Ed started back to the kitchen door and became visible standing in the grass sniffling with red eyes. "Did you hurt yourself? Or did granny get that mad at your swearing?"

Ed was absolutely insulted and sneered a loathing, "_No."_ Then he sniffled heavily and wiped his eyes before confessing, "Mr. Brenard switched me."

Alphonse was surprised. "What for?" Alphonse asked, taking a few concerned steps closer to Ed.

"Cause he's an idiot!" Ed said. "He freaking—and—he freaking did it with one of those vine twigs." Ed illustrated with his hands, a thin and long object. "Ten times." Ed cried for a second before composing himself with a fast cough. "Then I had to walk back here all by—all by myself." Ed pointed to the road and Alphonse was listening intently. Completely captivated by Edward's punishment in a suspension of both fear and curiosity the way only another child is. "And he said, and he said if I didn't go back, if I don't come back and sit in the kitchen he's going to know. And—I—and I can't sit," Ed said, confessing quickly in utter distress. "Ten is too much! I am not old enough for ten!" Alphonse rushed to Ed's side when Ed broke out crying and covered his eyes with his hands.

"It'll be ok nii-san," Alphonse whispered sympathetically. "This is why you have to stop swearing so much."

"How's he going to know what I do!" Ed yelled angrily, wiping his face clean and taking a step away from Alphonse. "Damn bastard," Ed said, before looking guilty and moving quickly from Alphonse to the door. Pinako was quiet and kept her laughs to herself when she heard his small feet coming up the steps before he pushed in her screen door and glared at her.

Pinako didn't look up when Ed paused in the threshold, she continued washing her grapes and wearing her smile before chukling out, "Well, look what the cat dragged in."

Ed said nothing, and shut the door behind him before walking slowly to his previous kitchen chair. He hesitated before the small wooden seat he was in almost an hour ago, and Pinako decided to play dumb with him. "What are you doing Ed?" she asked casually. Ed grunted miserably with Pinako's question before quickly sitting down and hiding his face. Pinako turned around and swept Ed with her eyes. He had walked to Thomas's farm in his bare feet so he was now slightly dirty, but curled up staring at his lap she couldn't help but start feeling bad for him. "Come to keep me company?" Pinako asked. The phone began ringing and Pinako glanced between it and Ed before answering with a pleasant, "Hello?" Ed peeked up when she did so and this humored her. "Well hello Thomas." Ed jolted with the man's name and looked up with such immediate worry Pinako had to laugh. "Why as a matter of fact he's sitting here in the kitchen. Obediently I might add." Ed bristled with these words but remained silent. "Ed, Thomas has a question for you." Pinako extended the phone and Ed looked at it briefly before shaking his head. "No?" she asked.

"No," Ed said, angrily.

Pinako returned the phone to her ear. "He doesn't want to talk Thomas." Thomas laughed loud enough Ed heard him, and Ed sunk down sniffling in his chair. "Ed, Thomas says you have something to tell me," Pinako said, lowering the phone to her shoulder. Ed coiled into himself staying silent. "Ed, do you have something to tell me?" she asked, keeping her smile from her face. Ed could be such an impossibly stubborn child she never understood how Trisha could handle him. "I guess I should ask him what happened to make you so quiet." Pinako teased raising the phone but Ed looked up instantly.

"I am sorry," Ed said quickly. Pinako was quiet, and waited patiently for him to continue. "For..." Ed trailed off, licking his lips when Thomas's asked a loud, '_For what?_' from the phone. "For saying that," Ed whispered, turning away in both embarrassment and a continuing need to assert some level of defiance.

"Thank you Ed. You are forgiven," Pinako said sweetly. Ed's face crinkle up like he'd cry before readjusting to shaky composure. "You don't have to sit in here with me Ed," Pinako said kindly. Ed looked relieved and instantly squirmed up groaning some relief and discretely rubbing the back of his shorts with closed eyes.

Thomas was immediately against this, and began pitching his argument Ed was to sit in the kitchen for half an hour. Pinako found this a bit surprising, and glanced at Ed. He was still young, and wasn't used to the firm hand of an adult male. Maybe she was just an old softy, but she thought he had taken enough. "Thomas, I think..." Pinako said, before silencing when Thomas finished his point. "Thomas he looks plenty scolded to me," Pinako said, watching Ed try and adjust his pants a bit before wiping at his eyes. Ed looked simply pitiful cut down to size and miserable. Pinako sighed, and consented with a soft, "All right," when he wouldn't abandon his approach. Thomas was firmly set on Ed sitting for at least a half an hour to _take it seriously_. "All right, well, thanks for your help just the same." Pinako bid her departure and hung up.

To her surprise Ed didn't flee the kitchen. She didn't speak to him any further because the few times she had whipped him he always needed quiet time to himself afterward and she didn't want to disturb it. Especially now, when mom wasn't here to hug. If he wanted to stay in the kitchen with her, that was fine and good company. She didn't send a curious glance his way until she finished the grapes and had them drying on the counter. He had been silent for a full fifteen minutes, and that was a long time for Edward Elric.

"How ya feeling Ed?" Pinako asked kindly. Ed met her gaze with this question. He was standing alongside her kitchen table drawing playfully in the flower coating, but looked miserable. He gave her a dirty look and didn't answer. "You want to talk about anything?" His look grew darker, and she chuckled warmly. "Okay boy," she said sweetly. "This calm change to you certainly is welcomed Ed. I'll have to give Thomas an extra thank you when he gets here."

Ed's jaw dropped slowly, with horrified shock when he heard this, and his powerful eyes went wide, speaking volumes. "What?" Ed whispered, before getting a hold of himself. "Why's he coming here?" Ed asked quickly, tone going angry. "I did what he said! I apologized, and did what he said!" Ed broke into argument immediately. The quiet fifteen minutes were over, and Pinako groaned a little.

Ed raised his hand and pointed up at Pinako angrily. "He's not coming back to punish me, because I've already been punished! That is cheating! You can't punish me twice for the same thing–that's–that's not fair!" Ed yelled, panicked. He was in tears, and whining loudly with the idea he had another round coming. "This is crap! I didn't do anything to deserve this! You're cheating and this is stupid!"

"Will you hush up Ed." Pinako scoffed, abandoning her cooking and taking his pointing hand gently. "From the looks of ya, Thomas took care of ya real good." Ed hated these words and gave Pinako the most disgusted expression he could manage. "How many times did he lick ya?" she asked simply. Ed growled, bearing his teeth up like a rabid animal, and tugging on his hand.

"Hmp, wouldn't you like to know." Ed sneered out his words with disgust.

"I can call him back."

Ed fumed and stomped his feet. "How about you let go of my hand, huh!" Ed yelled, struggling to reclaim his arm as Pinako pulled him forward. Ed stumbled into her, allowing her a good hold on him. "You're not looking!" Ed yelled, squirming instantly. "Don't look! Don't!" Ed cried, pushing to be free as Pinako sent a hand to the seat of his pants. Ed had fair skin, and the boy bruised like a banana and burnt easy. The few times he'd been switched before he'd always taken one or two cuts. Pinako investigated Ed's cheeks with a soft grab each to make sure he was okay, but Ed broke out whining at once. "Ow! Stop." Ed tipped his head back, groaning. "Don't grab at me like this—ow!" Pinako felt the heat inside Ed's shorts and knew his skin was bright red and hurting fiercely.

"You get cut?" Pinako asked, hugging Ed to her thigh. He growled where he was fisting her dress. "Ed you get cut? I want to know."

"How'd you know he switched me, huh?" Ed demanded angrily. "He tell you on the phone? Well fine, I don't care. I can take this—it doesn't matter." Ed gave his arms a pull to see if he could push free before surrendering miserably to her strength. He rested his forehead just under her ribcage, and staring down at his feet kept digging his own hole. "It didn't cut me, _so there_. I don't care that he did this, and plus it doesn't really hurt all that bad," Ed said, giving Pinako's apron a smack with his flesh hand.

"Well I am sure he'll find that interesting when I tell him so," Pinako said. Ed looked up quickly and became two frowning golden eyes in her apron.

"You wouldn't dare."

"So for future reference, he knows to change his tactics," Pinako said, with a casual shrug. Ed's eyes widened. The boy seemed concerned with Thomas hearing this. "I'll tell him when he comes by later." Pinako let Ed go and he stumbled back fast and took on an aggressive stance.

"You're bluffing! Stop messing around granny! And don't grab my ass anymore either. I am too old for it now," Ed said, crossing his arms over his chest. Pinako couldn't help but laugh at him. For as obnoxious as this stubborn streak could be, at times Ed's anger was only adorable. She reached forward and gave his head a playful loving shove, but he ignored it. "Laugh all you want." Ed scoffed.

Pinako returned to the counter shaking her head. "If you're cut it'll only hurt ya worse without my medicine. Run along and play Ed," Pinako said, waving him away as she picked up her cutting knife.

"I'll do what I want." Ed countered quickly.

"Well go do it in the yard," Pinako said. Ed fumed and began stomping for the door. Since this afternoon when Pinako had pulled Ed inside she knew he was desperate to get back to the grass and play. All of this pretense was just for show. She ignored it, and pulled out the tray of cooked zucchini for Thomas as Ed stomped to the door. Then there was the traditional squeak of it opening before Ed took a few steps closer to her and Pinako turned around to find Thomas in her doorway staring down at the boy. "Thomas!" Pinako laughed when Ed turned to her looking slapped six ways from Sunday. "You sure do know how to make an entrance." Ed instantly backed up to Pinako while frowning at the man.

"Ed, what are you doing up from that chair?" Thomas asked, not indicating any specific one while unsure which it was Ed should be in.

"She said I could get up!" Ed said, quickly pointing to Pinako. Thomas took a step in and Ed scrambled back when the man shut the door. "I did what you said, okay!"

"Thomas, I said he could get up," Pinako said, laying a hand on Ed's shoulder to reassure him. Ed stepped behind her and watched Thomas cautiously as the man entered. "He's got too small a hide to have to sit on it after that." Pinako chuckled. With these words Ed shoved Pinako's hand away angrily.

"Some boys need to be punished," Thomas said firmly, keeping his eyes locked with Ed's. "Especially those who don't think their first punishment hurt at all," Thomas said, raising his eyebrows. Ed was staring back at the man, his angry expression dissolving slowly. "Is that so Edward?" Thomas was a strong man. He was a wheat farmer, and his arms and hands were rough and large. He wore dirty jeans, and a tucked in white shirt unbuttoned at the top and also dirty from today's work. Tom was a good man, and close friend of Pinako's son before he died. She trusted him, and he'd punished Edward once before for Trisha when she didn't have the heart but they thought Ed needed it. "I thought I'd walk on down and be a gentleman. Pick up my zucchini rather than let such a fine chef bring it to me, but I guess it's a good thing I did on account you trusted me to set him straight Pinako and I didn't do a good job," Tom said, shaking his head in mock self disappointment.

These words horrified Ed. "I—I didn't know you were listening to me," Ed said quickly, sounding nervous. Thomas gave this a small hike of his eyebrows and it was enough for Ed's instinct to tell him to run. Ed turned and bolted toward the other end of the kitchen. This would have been a successful attempt if Ed were trying to escape Pinako, but Thomas took a single step and snatched the back of Ed's shirt with his right hand. "I take it back!" Ed yelled, smacking at Thomas's hand when he was pulled around and his arm was captured. "I change my mind okay!" Ed yelled, staring up at Thomas with his eyes begging.

"Than you shouldn't go around telling lies, you hear?" Tom asked firmly, giving Ed a small shake. Ed nodded. "Now, let's you and me go out and pick a stick." Thomas turned for the door, and Ed broke into dry crying at once. Even at his current age he hadn't stopped this one trait, and Pinako was eager for it to go. She hated the sound of him fussing so sincerely, and without the tears Ed hadn't yet equated it to something that would embarrass him. For the moment, he was truthfully concerned, and was responding. "Only." Tom stopped, continuing his tease while Ed stood sniveling and continuously shaking his head. "You're still sore from earlier aren't you?" Tom asked. Ed didn't answer, and was whining quietly in the man's grasp. "No?" Tom asked, turning back for the door.

"I am! I am!" Ed yelled quickly, digging his heels down and pulling at Tom to keep them inside. "I am sore, okay!" Ed cried. Tom gave an approving nod and changed directions.

"Yes, you took what'cha needed, I think my hand should be sufficient now," Tom said, dragging Ed toward the kitchen's back hall. "Now take me to your room or you'll feel my belt," Tom said, voice kind but sternly nonnegotiable.

Ed started crying for real. "That's not fair!" he wailed. "I—I—I apologized for saying it to her!" Ed broke a small sob. "Plus I—and plus you already–"

"You want to do it outside? Hm? With your brother and Winry?" Tom asked, pointing to the window and the kids he'd seen when he arrived.

"No!" Ed shook his head wiping at his eyes. "No, no okay, I don't, no," Ed said, crying through his words before heading into the hallway himself.

Tom nodded. "You gotta stand up and be a man Ed," Tom said, following the boy.

"Don't spank him too hard Tom," Pinako called, slightly concerned. "He's just a little thing!" she added, but Tom waved her off. Tom was good at this game. A lot of hot air all blowing in the right direction, with the real blows controlled and soft.

"Ain't nothing good come from lying Ed." Tom continued, giving Pinako a wink as he passed. "You need honesty all the time, no matter who's listening." Tom's voice was fading as he followed Ed to the bedroom Pinako had given him. There was another small argument from Ed, angry yelling, before Pinako heard him take two slaps, which he cried through, and Thomas was back in the kitchen. "He's such a small boy," Tom said, walking in with a smile and leaning against the refrigerator. Pinako sent him a scolding glance and he laughed. "I pat him twice. He's not hurt," Tom said kindly.

"You switched him ten times?" Pinako asked, letting Tom hear her disagreement. There didn't seem to be a need to surpass the standard six, or even four, with such a small child.

"That's how many it took for him to agree to apologize," Tom said, offering a casual shrug. Pinako was shocked "I made sure seven through ten were soft but...he's got a strong will running through him, very strong." Tom sighed, and moved to her counter interested in all the goods. Pinako could hear Ed whining in his bedroom. "I just want to give you some authority Pinako, to make your life easier with him."

"I can get plenty of authority on my own." Pinako huffed. "I choose not to," she said firmly. Tom made a face looking skeptical. "I put that automail on him. I bathed and dressed him when he was sick. He knows what I am, and what he is Thomas. There's no reason to go burning it into a rump too small to take it," Pinako said, chopping carrots quickly.

Thomas sighed. "Have it your way then." Tom chuckled, munching on a carrot tip before looking to the tray of zucchini eagerly.

"Yes, that's yours." Pinako smiled, testing the dish's heat before handing it over.

"I left your oil out back," Tom said, carrying the tray slowly to the door before opening it with his foot and Pinako laughed. "Thanks a bunch Pinako." Tom smiled. "And you tell Ed..." Tom trailed off, panning his nose over the tray with a long appreciative sniff. "He says the word one more time, he won't be able to stand, never mind sit." Pinako laughed, waving Tom out before heading for the boys' room. She kept her steps light and walked to the open doorway before shaking her head on sight of Ed.

Ed was on the queen bed he shared with Alphonse, face first in his pillow crying. Unlike Alphonse who took his pillow with him and cried, Ed always acted as though the pillow itself where mortared to the bed. Ed was hunched up on his knees, hanging onto the pillow on either side with his face buried, and the small burning bottom he had raised. "Oh Ed." Pinako sighed. Ed bolted up startled with the sight of her. He was wiping at his face frantically, and it was a wet disaster. Pinako went to him when the sympathy for his small disheveled self outweighed the logic of why he was that way. "You poor boy," Pinako whispered. Ed kept crying as Pinako advanced and was sniffling with such heavily congestion he could no longer breath through his nose. "It's all right now Ed," Pinako said, stroking a hand into Ed's hair, but he was mad.

"Go away," Ed cried angrily, before squirming when Pinako wiped his face with her apron. "Go away!" Ed yelled, batting at her hands. He pushed back into the bed to escape her, but was careful to stay off his bottom. "I hate you! I—I—he punished me twice for the same offence!" Ed yelled, pointing toward the door before closing his eyes and whining, "_Really hard_."

"He didn't do it that hard," Pinako said gently.

"Yes he did!" Ed insisted. "And don't tell me how it was. He did it to me, and not to you!"

"And who's fault is that? Argumentative child," Pinako said, finding her hands on her hips again. "You're the misbehaved boy who got himself into this mess running that mouth of yours."

"And I took what I deserved for it the first time!" Ed yelled angrily. "You didn't see me trying to get out of it!"

"And now look at you." Pinako gestured to Ed with a hand, but he slapped it away. "And he punished you the second time for puffing airs even while still spanked."

"Switched." Ed corrected with a venomous hate for the term 'spank', of which he found himself too old for. Pinako threw up her hands and left for the bathroom.

"Come on then," she called back to him. "Am I getting your brother or you gonna make it feel better yourself?" Pinako asked, pausing in the bathroom doorway. Ed sat sniffling on the bed before hurrying off the side to follow her.

"It'll help?" Ed asked, wiping at his tears. "You're not just saying that?" Ed hadn't been switched in three years and even then it was light. Three times. Pinako remembered it. It was a big jump from Ed's first time when he was switched once. Ed was crying before he was even touched, then he howled through it and clung to Trisha's leg like an appendage growing off her.

"Of course I ain't," Pinako said, entering her small but quaint bathroom. She turned on the light, and there was only one bulb so it was a bit dim. The trim on the walls needed a new paint job, but she kept all the porcelain clean and white so the faint smell of bleach was always in the air. "Now take off your pants."

"No!" Ed yelled, glaring up at Pinako aggressively.

"You're _pants_ Ed, keep your underwear on." Pinako sighed with exhaustion. Ed was somehow able to make the most mundane tasks a battle. With this clarification Ed's angry expression dissolved and he unzipped his fly and stepped out of his shorts. "Take this," Pinako said, pushing a container of lotion into his hands. "And you put it where it hurts, and it'll feel better." She unscrewed the cap and Ed looked in. "I'll shut the door and wait," Pinako said, walking to the doorway before stopping when Ed only raised the container and sniffed it awkwardly. "Were my directions unclear boy?"

"No," Ed muttered angrily, staring into the container before looking up with puffy eyes. They were pink like the rest of his cute face below the mess of wild blonde hair he was sporting.

"Then what'cha waiting for? I said I was going to shut the door, didn't I?" Pinako asked, grasping the door handle, but Ed looked distressed. Pinako found herself sighing again. "Here I'll show you." Pinako stepped back in.

"No, you won't!" Ed yelled, backing up to put distance between them.

Pinako ignored this and retrieved a small bottle of lotion. "Come here, and give me your hand," she said. "You think I want to see that skinny backside of yours? Think I haven't seen it before?" Pinako chuckled and squirted a thin line of lotion onto the flesh palm Ed offered. "Now put that on your leg, let me see you do it." Ed sat the container he held aside and crouched down before scrubbing at his leg. He rubbed with fast up and down strokes like he was bathing and was washing off the dirt he and Alphonse collected just like Trisha had shown them. "No, no boy. You're not washing it off, you're rubbing it in. Come here," Pinako said, scolding Ed with her tone and pulling his hand way.

"It's going on fine!"

"You want to rub your bottom like that? That'll hurt." Pinako squirted a bead of lotion into her palm and bent down. "Now like this," she said, lifting Ed's shirt and gently massaging the lotion into his stomach with slow circular rubs. "Gently, the way we medicate your wounds. Move your hand around like this." Ed watched intently, and Pinako lifted his hand and brought it to his stomach as well. Ed caught on quickly and was administering the moisturizer with the care he used to put oil in his arm.

"This feels good," Ed said, sniffling heavily. He looked to the lotion bottle with curious interest.

"Good. Now you dip your hand in here," Pinako said, pointing to the container. "And you rub it gently on all the red parts. It's going to make it cool off for you." Ed wiped his lotion damp hand on his boxers before looking up to Pinako when she stood to leave.

"Hey." Ed grabbed the side of Pinako's dress to stop her. He glanced up without letting go and dipped his automail into the lotion. Pinako knew Ed well enough to understand he wanted her to stay and stood where she was watching him coat his fingers awkwardly and sit the container back down. "Okay, I—okay I don't want you to watch!" Ed yelled angrily, and Pinako sighed with the accusation she might. "Okay! Turn around or something! You can't look! I am too old for you to be looking, noisy bi—bat ." Ed corrected himself before he could swear, and Pinako smiled. She turned around, keeping her laughs to herself as she now faced the mirror, and watched him weasel a hand into the back of his pants from behind her. He was cringing and rubbed at his skin slowly the way she had just shown him. "Mm—ow," Ed whispered, shifting his feet before pulling his hand from his pants. He looked at his palm as if expecting something to be there after the sting, before reaching to slip it back into the lotion container.

"No, Ed." Pinako snatched it fast. "Other hand, like a spoon into peanut butter," she said.

Ed nodded and dipped his automail into the lotion before flicking a blob of it onto his flesh hand. These directions made sense to him because this was Trisha's fifth rule. _If you eat off the spoon it doesn't go back in the peanut butter. _Pinako turned back around, eyes in the mirror, and watched Ed coat his hand and rub at his left cheek while whining. He was curling his toes and bending at the knees before straightening up with a heavy sight. "Wash your hands now," Pinako said. Ed moved to he sink looking tired and started washing when the back door opened with a slam and Winry's flip flops were flying through the house.

"Ed!" Winry cried. "Ed!" Winry ran right to the boys' room and stopped with a soft confused, "Ed?" Then she started running back down the hall. "Ed, where are you!" She sounded as if she were laughing, and Ed dried his hands as fast as he could.

He wanted return to the world of play and ran for the bathroom door before stalling out with a fast whispered, "Crap." Then he ran to his shorts and tugged them on calling out to the girl. "Winry!" Her flip flops were quickly returning. "What! I am in here!" Ed yelled, opening the bathroom and almost colliding into her.

Winry was laughing and grabbed the front of Ed's shirt to take him with her. "Ed! You have to see Alphonse, he's so funny!" she said, before hesitating. "What happened to your face?" she asked quickly, studying all the pink colors. Ed shoved Winry off with this comment. "Were you crying? You're eyes are all red."

"No." Ed frowned. "I was laughing."

"Laughing? Winry repeated, sounding shocked. "Alphonse said you got in trouble." Winry left, heading for the door with Ed following. She was worried, but not worried enough.

"Yeah, that's why I was cr—laughing." Ed corrected himself with a cough and disappeared with Winry out the backdoor. Pinako returned to the kitchen and watched the children play. They were all together outside in the grass, before below the kitchen window collecting water in Winry's tea pot from the hose.

"Mr. Brenard switched me ten times," Ed said. He boasted to Winry, unlike the way he cried to his brother. All Pinako heard was Winry's gasp. "Yeah. _Hard. _So hard I thought it was going to cut me every time." Ed elaborated and Winry sounded horrified.

"You're lying," Winry said shakily.

"Am I?" Ed asked, and Pinako could hear the grin in Ed's voice.

"He wouldn't do that!" Winry argued. "Mr. Brenard is nice!"

"He thought six wasn't enough for me," Ed said, head growing fatter. "Alphonse, how many times did I say he did it."

"Ten."

"I am telling grandma you're lying to me," Winry said, sounding angry. Pinako heard Winry throw down whatever she was holding, and then her granddaughter's small feet were stomping toward the back door.

"Good!" Ed called to Winry. "She'll confirm it!" Ed's smile grew to either ear. "I am not lying, I am just stating the facts," he said smarly. "I can prove it."

Winry stopped. She was in route to the back steps and she spun around and gave Ed a skeptical angry frown. "Than do it," she said, smugly. "Do it Ed."

The children went silent with the sudden challenge, and Pinako stopped cooking. She leaned toward the window when there was no sound of movement and took a look at them.

Winry was standing in her sundress with her arms crossed over her chest frowning at Ed. He stood five feet in front of her frowning back. Neither of them were moving and the armor was a statue off to the side, waiting to see where this was going. For a moment it looked like things would dissolve, and Winry would continue her way inside to complain, and the boys would run off laughing, before Ed began unzipping his fly.

"Nii-san?" Alphonse whispered, sounding worried, but Ed had made up his mind.

"Damn that boy," Pinako whispered, stuck where she was. If she yelled to him he would not listen, and if she left to fetch him she wouldn't make it in time. "Dammit, Ed!" she said, watching him. Ed turned around with his pants unfastened and shoved everything to his scrawny thighs. His small rear was laced with red lines and blistered skin, and Winry screamed.

"See?" Ed said, looking back over his shoulder with a cocky smile. "And I didn't cry."

* * *

Okay, trying to keep a bit of variety up here – no matter how tempted I am to just keep posting lovely Roy/Ed pairings, I thought I'd sneak in one with a bit of Pinako. I hope you all liked it! Ed is just too cute when he's all fussy. That rascal! – and you know Pinako looks like she can pack a punch! lol

PM me if you have a pairing/scenario you'd like to see! I will consider all requests. Also, if you liked the read, check out my profile, this genre is all my penname is doing. I also created a community today entitled "Red Hot Metal," so go check it out and follow!

Thanks guys!

**Please leave a review!** Unsigned if you're shy, it's okay.


End file.
